McDowell Lfac
McDowell Lfac is a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to connect, coordinate, and strengthen the local food system in Mcdowell county, North Carolina. The organization's goal is to improve the health, income and livelihoods of all community members through building a complete food network of producers, businesses, agencies and not-for-profit organizations. Lfac does this through developing and implementing programs, special projects and supportive food system infrastructure in mcdowell.
McDowell Lfac at a glance
In short: McDowell Lfac gave $16K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $15,512
- +765.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 2
- Average grant
- $7,756
- Median grant
- $7,756
- Total assets
- $4,305,424
- +71.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who McDowell Lfac funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Historic Johnson Farm Foundation ($8K). Together the top 2 received $16K.
Grant Size Distribution
2 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2 grants of 2 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2K (2024) to $16K (2025). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $16K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Historic Johnson Farm Foundation Hendersonville, NC | Historic johnson farm will utilize the van to deliver learning experiences to students and teachers in western North Carolina that are rooted in food, farm, and sustainability. | $8,000 |
| NC Farmers of the Foothills Marion, NC | Continuation of cooperative group of farmers organized by mcdowell cooperative extension | $7,512 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,305,424 | $4,113,644 | $2,316,894 | $15,512 | 2 | $-2,969 |
| 2024 | $2,517,049 | $2,699,377 | $1,992,826 | $1,792 | Total only | — |
| 2023 | $1,808,097 | $1,297,682 | $820,633 | — | — | — |
| 2022 | $1,323,302 | $1,042,821 | $554,302 | — | — | — |
| 2021 | $833,531 | $740,712 | $422,715 | — | — | — |
| 2020 | $515,135 | $656,342 | $232,503 | $6,293 | 1 | — |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About McDowell Lfac
Based on IRS filings
McDowell Lfac is a public charity focused on Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, based in Marion, NC. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $4.3M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $16K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
McDowell Lfac is led by Leslie Burleson, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 1 of 11 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Leslie Burleson
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$89K (2025)
Molly Sandfoss
Chair
Board Member → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ginger Webb
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paula Swepson Avery
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Belinda Swepson
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lorena Cervantes
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tim Keller
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Stevens
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrea Allison
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brady Keller
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tou Lee
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Alex Portelli (2020–2024) — Chair
- Former: Amy Stevens Vaughn (2020–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Nikii Pittman (2020–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Heather Edwards (2023–2024) — Executive Director
- Former: Christine Smolke (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Paula Swepson (2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Tim Burke (2024) — Vice Chair
- Former: Belinda Young (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Kimberly Freeman (2020–2023) — Vice Chair
- Former: Emily Roberts (2020–2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Brenda Vaughn (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Kathy Arriola (2020–2021) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $89K, to Leslie Burleson (Exec. DIR.).
Frequently asked questions about McDowell Lfac
How much does McDowell Lfac give each year?
McDowell Lfac gave $16K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it reported $2K in grants paid.
How large is McDowell Lfac?
McDowell Lfac reported $4.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.1M.
What is McDowell Lfac?
McDowell Lfac is a public charity focused on Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, based in Marion, NC. It holds $4.3M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does McDowell Lfac operate?
McDowell Lfac has awarded grants in North Carolina.
What is McDowell Lfac's EIN?
McDowell Lfac's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-2141213. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 16, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work McDowell Lfac funds
Food, Agriculture & Nutrition Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in McDowell Lfac's focus areas in our free grants database
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McDowell Lfac down — hundreds of funders to go?